--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: He has a right to criticize, who has a…" description: "\"He has a right to criticize, who has a heart to help.\" — Abraham Lincoln" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fe2/abraham-lincoln-88_criticism_he-has-a-right-to-criticize-who-has-a-he_2194820.png" --- # He has a right to criticize, who has a heart to help. ![“He has a right to criticize, who has a heart to help.” quote by Abraham Lincoln](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fe2/abraham-lincoln-88_criticism_he-has-a-right-to-criticize-who-has-a-he_2194820.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fe2/abraham-lincoln-88_criticism_he-has-a-right-to-criticize-who-has-a-he_2194820.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fe2/abraham-lincoln-88_criticism_he-has-a-right-to-criticize-who-has-a-he_2194820.png) > “He has a right to criticize, who has a heart to help.” [Abraham Lincoln](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abraham-lincoln/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Criticism is justified when it stems from a sincere desire to improve others. **In simple terms:** Criticize only if you truly want to help. Key Takeaway Offer constructive feedback with empathy. Themes ethics leadership responsibility Mood thoughtful serious Type ethical advisory When to use this quote - workplace reviews - mentorship - community activism Key Concepts moral philosophy social critique Questions to Reflect On - When is criticism truly helpful? - How can you ensure your intent is supportive? A Different Perspective May be misused as a pretext for judgment. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Criticism](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/criticism/) [Criticize](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/criticize/) [Criticize Heart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/criticize-heart-3646022/) [Heart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/heart/) [Heart Help](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/heart-help-347545/) [Right](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/right/) [Right Criticize](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/right-criticize-258588/) ## Related quotes > [He has the right to criticize who has the heart to help](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abraham-lincoln/he-has-the-right-to-criticize-who-has-the-heart-to-help/) [Abraham Lincoln](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abraham-lincoln/) > [“They have a Right to censure, that have a Heart to help: The rest is Cruelty, not Justice. (Frequently misquoted as "He has a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-penn/they-have-a-right-to-censure-that-have-a-heart-to-help-the-rest-is/) [William Penn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-penn/) > [“People have the right to criticize you. You do not have the right to criticize anyone.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dada-bhagwan/people-have-the-right-to-criticize-you-you-do-not-have-the-right-to/) [Dada Bhagwan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dada-bhagwan/) > [No one has the right to criticize you for how your body looks, but they will. One thing I've learned from experiencing this exact…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/taylor-swift/no-one-has-the-right-to-criticize-you-for-how-your-body-looks-but/) [Taylor Swift](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/taylor-swift/) > [People have a right to criticize.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/luciano-pavarotti/people-have-a-right-to-criticize/) [Luciano Pavarotti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/luciano-pavarotti/) > [I’m a Muslim, we come from a Muslim community and we are very critical of western or American foreign policy. So if I’ve got…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maajid-nawaz/i-m-a-muslim-we-come-from-a-muslim-community-and-we-are-very-critical/) [Maajid Nawaz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maajid-nawaz/) > [I can imagine no greater disservice to the country than to establish a system of censorship that would deny to the people of a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/woodrow-wilson/i-can-imagine-no-greater-disservice-to-the-country-than-to-establish/) [Woodrow Wilson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/woodrow-wilson/) > [I love America more than any other country in the world, and, exactly for this reason, I insist on the right to criticize her…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/i-love-america-more-than-any-other-country-in-the-world-and-exactly/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [My heart is to help hurting people. I teach people God's Word so they can overcome their problems and avoid some of the tough…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joyce-meyer/my-heart-is-to-help-hurting-people-i-teach-people-god-s-word-so-they/) [Joyce Meyer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joyce-meyer/) > [Pay mind to your own life, your own health, and wholeness. A bleeding heart is of no help to anyone if it bleeds to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-buechner/pay-mind-to-your-own-life-your-own-health-and-wholeness-a-bleeding/) [Frederick Buechner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-buechner/) > [It was in my heart to help a little because I was helped much.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/khalil-gibran/it-was-in-my-heart-to-help-a-little-because-i-was-helped-much/) [Khalil Gibran](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/khalil-gibran/) > [A good heart will help you to a bonny face, my lad and a bad one will turn the bonniest into something worse than…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emily-bronte/a-good-heart-will-help-you-to-a-bonny-face-my-lad-and-a-bad-one-will/) [Emily Bronte](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emily-bronte/) > [When you have given from your heart to help out a friend and they make it a point to take continuously never choosing to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rebecca-higgins/when-you-have-given-from-your-heart-to-help-out-a-friend-and-they/) [Rebecca Higgins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rebecca-higgins/) > [They have a right to censure that have a heart to help.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-penn/they-have-a-right-to-censure-that-have-a-heart-to-help/) [William Penn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-penn/) > [When you have a good heart: You help too much. You trust too much. You give too much. You love too much. And it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/when-you-have-a-good-heart-you-help-too-much-you-trust-too-much-you-2/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) ## More by Abraham Lincoln > [Elections belong to the people. It's their decision. If they decide to turn their back on the fire and burn their behinds, then they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abraham-lincoln/elections-belong-to-the-people-it-s-their-decision-if-they-decide-to/) [Abraham Lincoln](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abraham-lincoln/) > [ Next came the Patent laws. These began in England in 1624; and, in this country, with the adoption of our constitution. Before then \[these?\],… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abraham-lincoln/next-came-the-patent-laws-these-began-in-england-in-1624-and-in-this/) [Abraham Lincoln](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abraham-lincoln/) > [All that I am or ever hope to be, I owe to my angel Mother.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abraham-lincoln/all-that-i-am-or-ever-hope-to-be-i-owe-to-my-angel-mother/) [Abraham Lincoln](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abraham-lincoln/) > [While the people retain their virtue and vigilance, no administration, by any extreme of wickedness or folly, can very seriously injure the government in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abraham-lincoln/while-the-people-retain-their-virtue-and-vigilance-no-administration/) [Abraham Lincoln](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abraham-lincoln/) > [I could not have slept tonight if I had left that helpless little creature to perish on the ground.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abraham-lincoln/i-could-not-have-slept-tonight-if-i-had-left-that-helpless-little/) [Abraham Lincoln](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abraham-lincoln/) > [Let us at all times remember that all American citizens are brothers of a common country, and should dwell together in bonds of fraternal…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abraham-lincoln/let-us-at-all-times-remember-that-all-american-citizens-are-brothers/) [Abraham Lincoln](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abraham-lincoln/) > [If you wish to be a lawyer, attach no consequence to the place you are in, or the person you are with; but get…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abraham-lincoln/if-you-wish-to-be-a-lawyer-attach-no-consequence-to-the-place-you-are/) [Abraham Lincoln](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abraham-lincoln/) > [As we keep or break the Sabbath Day we nobly save or meanly lose the last best hope by which man rises.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abraham-lincoln/as-we-keep-or-break-the-sabbath-day-we-nobly-save-or-meanly-lose-the/) [Abraham Lincoln](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abraham-lincoln/) > [Tell the truth and you won't have so much to remember](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abraham-lincoln/tell-the-truth-and-you-won-t-have-so-much-to-remember/) [Abraham Lincoln](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abraham-lincoln/) > [With high hope for the future, no prediction is ventured.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abraham-lincoln/with-high-hope-for-the-future-no-prediction-is-ventured/) [Abraham Lincoln](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abraham-lincoln/) > [We know, Southern men declare that their slaves are better off than hired laborers amongst us. How little they know, whereof they speak! There…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abraham-lincoln/we-know-southern-men-declare-that-their-slaves-are-better-off-than/) [Abraham Lincoln](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abraham-lincoln/) > [I am glad to see that a system of labor prevails under which laborers can strike when they want to.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abraham-lincoln/i-am-glad-to-see-that-a-system-of-labor-prevails-under-which-laborers/) [Abraham Lincoln](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abraham-lincoln/) > [I don't like that man. I must get to know him better.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abraham-lincoln/i-don-t-like-that-man-i-must-get-to-know-him-better/) [Abraham Lincoln](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abraham-lincoln/) > [In this sad world of ours, sorrow comes to all; and to the young, it comes with bitterest agony because it takes them unawares.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abraham-lincoln/in-this-sad-world-of-ours-sorrow-comes-to-all-and-to-the-young-it/) [Abraham Lincoln](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abraham-lincoln/) > [The man does not live who is more devoted to peace than I am. None who would do more to preserve it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abraham-lincoln/the-man-does-not-live-who-is-more-devoted-to-peace-than-i-am-none-who/) [Abraham Lincoln](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abraham-lincoln/) [Explore all 1,437 Abraham Lincoln quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abraham-lincoln/) ## More Criticism quotes > [Regardless of the criticisms I receive from the left, the right and the middle, I think it's important to maintain a prolific writing jab,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ishmael-reed/regardless-of-the-criticisms-i-receive-from-the-left-the-right-and/) [Ishmael Reed](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ishmael-reed/) > [I receive something we might euphemistically call an 'inappropriately hostile' response - that is to say, more than fair criticism or even fair anger…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-beard/i-receive-something-we-might-euphemistically-call-an-inappropriately/) [Mary Beard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-beard/) > [A common fallacy in much of the adverse criticism to which science is subjected today is that it claims certainty, infallibility and complete emotional…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cyril-norman-hinshelwood/a-common-fallacy-in-much-of-the-adverse-criticism-to-which-science-is/) [Cyril Norman Hinshelwood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cyril-norman-hinshelwood/) > [For some reason, we are truly convinced that if we criticize ourselves, the criticism will lead to change. If we are harsh, we believe…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/geneen-roth/for-some-reason-we-are-truly-convinced-that-if-we-criticize-ourselves/) [Geneen Roth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/geneen-roth/) > [I reject criticism because the last thing I wanted was to sit there and look at people talking. I think people are conditioned to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matt-tyrnauer/i-reject-criticism-because-the-last-thing-i-wanted-was-to-sit-there/) [Matt Tyrnauer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matt-tyrnauer/) > [I'm more comfortable modelling as a man because I don't get any criticism.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rain-dove/i-m-more-comfortable-modelling-as-a-man-because-i-don-t-get-any/) [Rain Dove](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rain-dove/) > [I don't mind positive criticism, but when it is negative and personal, it is quite hard.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/inzamam-ul-haq/i-don-t-mind-positive-criticism-but-when-it-is-negative-and-personal/) [Inzamam-ul-Haq](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/inzamam-ul-haq/) > [Judge a person not by his ability to make money but by his ability to retain it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vikrant-parsai/judge-a-person-not-by-his-ability-to-make-money-but-by-his-ability-to/) [Vikrant Parsai](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vikrant-parsai/) > [Everything is allowable in literature, but what is not allowable in criticism is objection on the grounds of probability.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/howard-jacobson/everything-is-allowable-in-literature-but-what-is-not-allowable-in/) [Howard Jacobson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/howard-jacobson/) > [Lots of relationships fail because we spend more time pointing out each other's mistakes and not enough time enjoying each other's company.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/lots-of-relationships-fail-because-we-spend-more-time-pointing-out/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [If our aim is to praise, we should forget to criticize; if our aim is to criticize, we should remember to praise](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-johnson/if-our-aim-is-to-praise-we-should-forget-to-criticize-if-our-aim-is/) [Samuel Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-johnson/) > [No man can be criticised but by a greater than he. Do not, then, read the reviews.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ralph-waldo-emerson/no-man-can-be-criticised-but-by-a-greater-than-he-do-not-then-read/) [Ralph Waldo Emerson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ralph-waldo-emerson/) > [People believe that criticism should be objective, whatever that means, but I really don't understand what people mean by that. I guess if you're…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-christgau/people-believe-that-criticism-should-be-objective-whatever-that-means/) [Robert Christgau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-christgau/) > [I welcome criticism. I come from a - I wouldn't say mean, but you've got to have tough skin to be in my family.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/saweetie/i-welcome-criticism-i-come-from-a-i-wouldn-t-say-mean-but-you-ve-got/) [Saweetie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/saweetie/) > [The good author is he who contemplates without marked joy or excessive sorrow the adventures of his soul amongst criticisms.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-conrad/the-good-author-is-he-who-contemplates-without-marked-joy-or/) [Joseph Conrad](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-conrad/) [Browse all 3,954 Criticism quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/criticism/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "He has a right to criticize, who has a heart to help.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Abraham Lincoln" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abraham-lincoln/he-has-a-right-to-criticize-who-has-a-heart-to-help/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Criticism" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abraham-lincoln/he-has-a-right-to-criticize-who-has-a-heart-to-help/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fe2/abraham-lincoln-88_criticism_he-has-a-right-to-criticize-who-has-a-he_2194820.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fe2/abraham-lincoln-88_criticism_he-has-a-right-to-criticize-who-has-a-he_2194820.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fe2/abraham-lincoln-88_criticism_he-has-a-right-to-criticize-who-has-a-he_2194820.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“He has a right to criticize, who has a heart to help.” — Abraham Lincoln", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Abraham Lincoln", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abraham-lincoln/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "He has a right to criticize,...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abraham-lincoln/he-has-a-right-to-criticize-who-has-a-heart-to-help/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abraham-lincoln/he-has-a-right-to-criticize-who-has-a-heart-to-help/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```